RIPPLE SALVO… #501… LCDR MARV REYNOLDS: tenacity defined–unstoppable on 17 July 1967. The Lone Ranger to the rescue…
Good Morning: Day FIVE HUNDRED ONE of a return to the skies and events of Operation Rolling Thunder…
19 July 1967… HEAD LINES from The New York Times on a pleasant Wednesday in New York City…
The President’s Press Conference: “President Says He Still Favors A Surtax of 6%–Indicates He May Eventually Suggest Some Adjustments in its Size and Timing–Hopes Congress Acts”… “At a News Conference Johnson Asks Improvements In The Cities to Curb Rioting”...”Answering questions in an informal meeting with newsmen in his office, Mr. Johnson spoke carefully and at length bout the tax issue…Mr. Johnson was careful, too, with the question of Negro rioting, which he has left, wherever possible to the management of local authorities. Without condoning the disturbances, he said they pointed to the necessity of improving living conditions and educational and employment opportunities ‘where the people are–and they are in the cities.’… ‘The best way of getting on with the job,’ he observed, ‘is with action on the programs he has recommended to Congress.’ The President also dealt with several foreign affairs topics, without altering any of his known positions. He said he was ready to negotiate with North Vietnam about how to end the war but complained that Hanoi had shown no interest. He avoided any direct restatement of his terms for another pause in the bombing of North Vietnam, saying he had tried without success to discuss these arrangements with Hanoi…On Vietnam, Mr. Johnson was asked about casualty figures showing that Americans had suffered more combat losses than the South Vietnamese in the last two months. He suggested that he did not like to focus on such ‘selective’ statistics and to imply that South Vietnam is not doing its part of that the United States was doing more than its share. ‘Our job is to try to get them to do all they can do.’…There have been periods when the South Vietnamese have lost more than we have and maybe days when any one of the allies would lose more.’ “…
Page 1: “Railroad Strikers Return; Johnson Picks Mediators”… Page 1: “Newark Strives to Restore Calm–Statements By Extremists Cited By Mayor as Among Causes of Rioting”...”Mayor Hugh Addonizio said today that the tensions that erupted in ‘racial rioting here have been fueled by the rash of wild and extremist statements and behavior of the past ten or twelve weeks in our city.’…A week of turmoil that led to 26 deaths and made a battlefield-like scene of the heavily Negro Central Ward.”… Page 1: “Senate is Tracing Guns Used In Riot In Newark”… Page 1: “Clean Air Bill Voted By Senate–$700-Million Measure Gives U.S. Emergency Powers Over a City’s Activity”…
SIX DAY WAR/MIDEAST: Page 1: “Israeli Envoy Urges U.S. To Supply Arms”…”A one-sided arms race is developing in the Middle East and the United States needs to supply sufficient arms to help Israel maintain her deterrent of military strength.”... Page 1: “Armament Sales A Huge Business–U.S. World’s Main Source, Has Supplied $43-Billion in Weapons in 17 Years...”The five belligerents in the Mideast War–Israel, the United Arab Republic, Syria, Jordan and Iraq–altogether had more than 3,000 tanks, more than Hitler employed in the invasion of France in 1940.”… Page 1: “Gromyko Urges U.N. To Demand Israel Pullout–Envoys View Letter as Hint Moscow Will Carry Issue Back to Security Council–But Goldberg Is Firm–He Insists any Resolution Must Call On Arabs to End Belligerency”… Page 2: “Refugees Return to West Bank Begins”…
VIETNAM: Page 9, belated coverage with 17 July dateline of Rolling Thunder operations on 16 and 17 July: “611th U.S. Plane Downed In North–Jet, 15th This Month, Lost During Raids Near Hanoi”…
“The 611th American plane of the war, the 15th this month, was shot down in North Vietnam yesterday…The plane, an Air Force F-105 Thunderchief taking part in one of the 139 missions over North Vietnam yesterday was brought down by ground fire. The pilot is missing.
“Another United States pilot was rescued by helicopter in North Vietnam after he had spent the night hiding from enemy troops and dogs. It was the second time that the pilot Lieutenant Commander Demetrio Verich of Green Bay, Wisconsin had been shot down over North Vietnam. Ground fire struck his plane as he was diving to attack the Phuly railroad yard near Hanoi.
” ‘The jet went into a tailspin immediately. I had about a minute to get out.’ The Commander said he had to manipulate his parachute to avoid the burning wreck. He was 40 miles south of Hanoi and 30 miles from the coast. Darkness was falling. ‘As night fell I covered myself with leaves and branches. The enemy hunted for me all night. I could hear dogs barking. The troops passed near me. I could hear them making strange clicking noises and bell sounds.’…they were apparently signalling.’
“Soon after dawn a twin turbine SH-3A piloted by Lieutenant Neil Sparks of Tulsa, Okla. flew from the carrier Hornet. Propellor driven Skyraiders and jet Skyhawks struck the area around LCDR Verich’s refuge with cannon fire rockets and machine guns. The helicopter was ripped by machine gun fire as it descended. One burst smashing through the floor between Lieutenant Sparks feet and put the radio out of commission. ‘We kept dropping,’ Lieutenant Sparks said, ‘lowered the sling and pulled him right up.’
“Commander Verich was first shot down over the North on his previous tour of duty. having been shot down twice, he could now cut short his tour of duty, which began a week ago. ‘I am not going to do it, I am going to keep on flying.’ “…
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM…LIEUTENANT COMMANDER MARVIN D. REYNOLDS, UNITED STATES NAVY… the NAVY CROSS… 17 JULY 1967…
“The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the NAVY CROSS to LIEUTENANT COMMANDER MARVIN DENNARD REYNOLDS, United States Navy, for EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM on 17 July 1967 as a pilot in Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE (VA-163), embarked in U.S.S. ORISKANY (CVA-34). As the leader of a section of A4E aircraft conducting a search and rescue mission for a pilot downed the precious day, thirty-two miles southwest of Hanoi, North Vietnam, Lieutenant Commander REYNOLDS proceeded seventy miles inland through darkness and heavy anti-aircraft-artillery fire to the search area where he succeeded establishing contact with the downed pilot. When the search and Rescue Commander informed him that positive voice contact with the pilot must be established before the helicopter could cross the beach, Lieutenant Commander REYNOLDS reentered the area and established voice contact. Due to his low fuel state, he was forced to aerial refuel before returning to the scene, this time leading the rescue force. Maneuvering so as to evade three surface to air missile launchings, he led the flight to the rescue scene. He attacked and silenced a large flak site endangering the helicopter. Lieutenant Commander REYNOLDS then made repeated dangerous low passes over the pilot to ensure successful pickup. During the egress, he successfully attacked and silenced one of the most menacing flak sites on the helicopter’s egress route. By his courageous conduct, exceptional skill, and fearless devotion to duty, he was primarily responsible for the successful rescue of the downed pilot, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”
CONTINUED BELOW IN RIPPLE SALVO #501…
19 JULY 1967… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER… New York Times (20 July reporting 19 July ops) Page 9: “U.S. Jets In North Hit 4 Missile Sites–Air Force Phantoms Clash With 8 MiGs Near Hanoi”... “United Sates Navy pilots attacked a surface-to-air missile site in soccer stadium midway between Hanoi and Haiphong Tuesday. The United States pilots also hit three missile sites and four railroad yards while flying 133 missions against North Vietnam. Today a military spokesman announced that Air Force Phantom jets fought with eight North Vietnamese MIGs north of Hanoi yesterday. There were no reports of losses on either side. the fight followed for the first time in six weeks that the MIGs had challenged American planes in numbers over North Vietnam. The last dogfight was on June5. One Air Force Phantom was shot down Tuesday. It was the 612th American plane downed in the North.
“Navy pilots from a carrier in the Gulf of Tonkin hit the Haiduong soccer stadium with 750, 1,000 and 2,000-pound bombs and rockets. Reconnaissance aircraft had reported several mobile launching pads in the stadium in the town of Haiduong 24 miles northwest of Haiphong. a wave of Navy bombers heavily damaged the site. A second wave finished the destruction.
“Air Force Thunderchief pilots blasted the Mocchou surface-to-air missile site 72 miles west of Hanoi, the Kep railroad yard 31 miles northeast of Hanoi, and the Phuduc railroad classification yard 45 miles northwest of Hanoi.”
“Vietnam: Air Losses” (Chris Hobson) There were two fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 19 July 1967…
(1) CAPTAIN H.N. JOHNSON was flying an F-105D of the 357th TFS and 355th TFW out of Takhli on a raid on the railway at Phu Xuyen north of Cam Pha when hit by 37-mm anti-aircraft fire. CAPTAIN JOHNSON was able to control his damaged aircraft en route to an emergency landing at Danang until 65 miles north of Dong Ha where he was forced to eject. He was rescued by a Navy SAR helicopter…
(2) COMMANDER HERBERT PERRY HUNTER, Executive Officer of VF-162, was flying an F-8E of the VF-162 Hunters embarked in USS Oriskany on an air wing attack on the Co Trai railway and road bridge about 25 miles south of Hanoi. COMMANDER HUNTER was leading the flak suppression element when hit by 57-mm fire in his right wing. The aircraft ws flyable and COMMANDER HUNTER headed for the Gulf. Damage to the aircraft left him partial hydraulic system and unable to either raise the Crusader wing for landing or jettison two on-board bombs. As a consequence of the “wing-down” arrested landing attempt, COMMANDER HUNTER landed fast, flat and hard, wiped off his landing gear and continued over the side. He did not eject but was apparently able to get clear of the cockpit. His is body was found floating under water with a partially deployed parachute. COMMANDER HERB HUNTER, a former Blue Angel, was a highly respected Naval Aviator and fighter pilot with exceptional flying skills. His loss was a bitter pill for hard hit Carrier Air Wing 16. For Naval Aviation.
Humble Host invites your attention to today’s special post that remembers Herb Hunter–A wonderful essay from the Pensacola paper that features Herb’s oldest son, general manager at McGuire’s Irish Pub…oohrah…
RIPPLE SALVO… #501… “SUPERHEAT 201, THIS IS OLD SALT 312″… Humble Host is honored to be able to express admiration and respect for an old squadron mate and friend in this blog, Marv Reynolds. I have snipped a few excerpts from the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association internet pages that both expand on the great rescue of Butch Verich and explain why I hold Marv is such high esteem… The excerpts… https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/incident/67071910KIA.HTM
“Phu Ly, North Vietnam would be the scene of triumph and tragedy in the next three days, beginning with July 16, 1967. Demetrio Verich, Crusader pilot from VF-162 off USS Oriskany was part of a flak-suppression element attacking the rail yards at Phy Ly, 30 miles south of Hanoi, when the unsuppressed flak, in the form of three SA-2 SAMs, were fired at him. Butch Verich dodged two but the third got him and he found himself very quickly floating down just 16 miles from Hanoi watching a rain of Crusader parts precede him in descent… he was 60 miles deep in hostile territory and no one came for him before night fell, although the XO of the Wild Aces, VA-152, Commander A.B. Headly, with his wingman, leaning our the big radial engines of their Skyraiders, remained overhead until dark…
“Lieutenant Commander Marv Reynolds, VA-163, aware that O-boat had lost a plane, discovered it was Verich when he recovered back aboard and immediately queried his commanding officer about the status of a rescue effort. None was being mounted: the admiral was hesitating because of the darkness, the distance inland, and the proximity to Hanoi. Reynolds suggested to the skipper that they go to CAG and convince him to at least make a try, for the sake of morale. Old Salt (VA-163) skipper agreed, CAG(CVW-16) agreed, and the admiral was convinced, and gave Reynolds the task of locating Verich, and authenticating him, before any rescue effort would be mustered up….
“At 0300, Reynolds, his wingman, and an E-2 launched and headed for North Vietnam. He left his wingman feet wet with the E-2, along for comm relay and early warning of any hostile night fliers, while he proceeded solo to search the area. The sound of his jet engine awakened Butch from a fitful sleep nestled in a small cave on a karst.
“Superheat 201, this is Old Salt 312.”
“After a few tries, Reynolds heard a reply ‘Is this Marv?’ That took care of authentication.
“Reynolds and Verich coordinated until Marv had a good location on him on the karst.
” ‘Gotcha Butch, back in half an hour.’ He passed the go word through the E-2 to the carrier, came out of North Vietnam, hit the tanker, which had followed them in due course, and waited for sunrise and the rescue forces.
“Next morning (17th)…HS-2 was assigned to attempt the rescue…Lieutenant Neil Sparks, Jr. decided on an end-around. He would cross into North Vietnam further south where the heavily populated area was more narrow, go west to the mountains, and follow the mountains north…then approach from the west out of the mountains crossing the short distance to his karst… No hostile fire challenged the trip long the mountains, escorted by division of VA-152 A-1s.
“Marc Reynolds transited direct in his A-4, evading three SAMs… On scene, he identified, attacked nd silenced a large-caliber AAA site which would have endangered the rescue helicopter. When Big Mother approached, he talked them in to where Verich was waiting. .. then made repeated, dangerously low passes over the pilot to ensure Big Mother transited in to the pickup area without taking fire. Hovering in the area where Verich was hiding the helicopter was suddenly subjected to intense fire…
The pickup was not without opposition and the Big Mother took enemy rounds and damage that made the 20-minute hover in place to make the rescue interesting, but it was done and egress directly to the Gulf was executed with Butch Verich on board. Unstoppable Marv Reynolds was still there: “he attacked and silenced an AAA site which blocked the direct route to the safety of the sea.”
And that brings Humble Host to the RTR QUOTE for 19 July 1967: JOHN 15:13: “GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.”… Amen.
Lest we forget… Bear